Picking the girls up from school early..."siked" and in the car, we headed down south to Orlando. Stopped at the final intersection before entering the hotel valet. Now this hotel is more like it!!! (Much nicer than the last "resort... ha" that we last stayed in. Well done hotwire.com). Into the reception, grabbed a room key and scoped out the pool. Up to the 13th floor to room 1318 open the door and what??? there are people already checked in! Back down stairs and another room later, we are lying on two comfortable beds and contemplating a dip in the pool.

Sitting beside the pool in the humid air, watching our two beautiful girls play in the pool reminded us of our relaxing afternoons in Fiji. This was perfect, but we were getting hungry. Showered and dressed for dinner, we decided to try out the fancy 'Jack's' restaurant in the hotel lobby. The service was lovely and friendly. Did I mention they also pride themselves on having charactertures of the famous on their walls? So, of course they had an artist doing sketchers of the diners

. Hayley was very eager and happy to pose. Zoe... not so much. She did not want to be portrayed as a funny looking person with a big head and a little body as seen in many of the pictures on the walls. But once she saw how cute Hayley looked with Minnie Mouse, she became tempted and sat down for her likeness to be drawn.

Up early for a made and exciting rush to get to the Magic Kingdom. Soon we where passing through the gates and into the car park. Parked in the hero's section we were ushered by the "cast members" to the trams that take us to the transportation station. So close to where the magic happens and still not there. We had to choose whether to take the ferry or the monorail to the park. The ferry it was. A moderate ride later and we were at the gate. Hundreds of people, just as excited as us herded towards the gates and we through looking down the barrel of Main Street U.S.A with the awe inspiring Cinderella's Castle in the distance.

Travelling back in time to where the hustle and bustle of an American town at the turn of the century. Colourful, full of life and adventure through each of the buildings doors. Home to the town centre we were able to see and meet Marie the cat from Aristocats and Pluto. To the right we met Princesses Cinderella, Arora and Rapunzel, as well as Mickey himself in the theatre

. Next door we had lunch at Tony's Italian Resturante where Lady and the Tramp had their first date.

We met Mary Poppins near the milliner, before walking through the confectionery store, and the Emporium. Buying trinkets along the way... by the end of our trip we were equipped with hats, mouse ears, jewelery, misting fans, costumes and autograph books.

Spending a short time in Main Street U.S.A we dashed up the street towards the castle. To the gardens on the left we saw a bustle of photographers taking pictures of all the Disney Princesses surrounding the Disney TV star Jessie before they joined Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy on the castle stage for a show about dreams.

One show down, and many more followed throughout the day. With Main Street often closed down to accommodate different parades during the day, we got to dance in the street with the stars of the Incredibles, Jungle Book and Toy Story. During one parade...we were joined by the rain. Wet through to the skin and contemplating the need to buy dry clothes and rain ponchos we endured the damp before the sun came out to play again and we were dry within 2 hours.

Having already spent some time in Fantasyland earlier in the day we trekked back to take in more rides and attractions. The girls really enjoyed "it's a small world", Under the sea and meeting Princess Ariel. The Prince's Carousel was sweet and the four of us pretended to have a horse race like the one that happened in the Mary Poppins movie. We walked around Fantasyland and saw how the buildings were modelled on architecture from such movies as Pinocchio, Beauty and the Beast, the Little Mermaid and of course Cinderella. Down the way a little was the circus, and of course Dumbo the elephant and his flying ride. This was a huge hit with the girls as they could manoeuvre the flying elephant up and down. Hayley preferred being lower down and Zoe loved having the elephant fly high. There was also Goofy's Roller coaster ride. After their experience on the Space Mountain ride in Tomorrowland, Hayley just about had to be forced onto the ride. After kicking and pleading not to go on it, she came out smiling and very proud of herself for keeping her eyes open during the time that the roller coaster plummeted down from the top.

After lunch in Main Street U.S.A and of course the parade and rain, we ventured towards Tomorrowland. Zoe very much has a thing for Toy Story at the moment. Always carting Woody, Jessie and Bullseye around, so first stop..

. the Buzz Lightyear ride. Inside our rocket's, we Space Rangers took to our blasters and shot lasers into the galaxy to ride the universe of the Evil Zurg. Greg and I managed to get a fantastic score and were promoted to Galaxy Hero and the girls achieving a more moderate result and promoted to Space Cadets. Next was the Stitch ride. A ride that was dark and a little scary, Zoe cried through most of the ride when Stitch a level three prisoner escaped. We saw, felt and smelt things on this ride. Eager to try Space Mountain all four of us walked to the front of the line with our fast pass ticket and jumped into the seats. Zoe first with me behind, followed by Hayley and Greg. This was the worst ride we have ever been on! OMG... I have never been one for rides and I had a single tear in my eye at the end. I don't know whether the tear was for me as I was wishing for this roller coaster ride set in pitch blackness to stop weaving left and then right, tracking up and then soaring down, down, down....or for the fear I felt that my two little girls were screaming for it to end as well! WHAT SORT OF PARENTS ARE WE????? Ok it's over... a quick look at the map and we set off towards the Carousel of Progress. A nice, slow ride in real theatre seats...this should to ease the girls.

Later in the evening we still had to complete the Peter Pan ride which saw us soaring through the skies of old London inside a ship from Wendy's house and past Big Ben turning at the second star from the right to travel over the sights of Neverland

. We saw Captain Hook and Smee, the Indian's, Mermaids and of course the Lost Boy's and TickTock. The ride was a little dark inside being portrayed at night and along with the Pirates, Miss Zoe was a little scared and kept her eyes closed for some of the ride. But first while we waited for the Electrical Parade, we knew that their would be seating and an air conditioned room, so off we went to the Hall of Presidents to see all about the American Presidents. On our way out from the Peter Pan ride, we were standing in the courtyard of Fantasyland encircled by the fireworks display. With the larger rockets firing in the distance above Pinochio's to our left, more defined rockets fired with Cinderella's castle as their backdrop.

As we left Fantasyland, having completed our first day and first half of the Magic Kingdom, we walked past the Winnie the Pooh Honey Pot Ride. A five minute wait... you just can't beat an opportunity like that. So in we piled into a oversized honey pot and travelling through the Hundred Acre Woods following the adventures of Pooh and his friends. Now it was time to go home! Nope wrong again. We entered the forecourt of the Castle and Main Street just as the final show for the evening began. Sitting down on the warm pavement, heated by the day's blazing sun, the Castle was the screen for the movie show projected onto its white exterior. Now! it was time to go...bring on more cattle rummaging and into the cues towards the monorail back to the carpark. It's after midnight when we arrive back at the hotel...Day one of Disney World complete! Loved It!!!!

With everyone very much still asleep, I woke up at 0730hrs Sunday Morning... HaPpY MoThEr'S DaY!!! Wake up time... I wanted to get back to the Magic Kingdom as soon as possible to complete the other three lands; Frontierland, Adventure Land and Liberty Square

First stop after our arrival back at the Magic Kingdom...the Emporium to get out MOUSE EARS! Now fashionably attired for the day we set off on the train to disembark in Frontierland. Now, for our first ride of the day...Splash Mountain! Fastpass in hand we walked eagerly to the front of the queue. Wait a minute...Zoe just realised that this ride was going to be a little scary! After yesterday's Space Mountain...we had to do some major encouraging to get her onto the ride. Of we went. Strapped into a log, we set off. This wasn't so bad. This was a slow a relaxing ride, cruising on the river through the briar patch listening and seeing the story of briar rabbit, bear and fox. We started singing "zipidey doo dar, zipidey ah, my oh my what a wonderful day. Plenty of sunshine heading my way", then what was this... our false sense of security snatch from us as the log plummeted 55feet into the pond below...aaahhhhhh! Just a little wet from the ride, we made it ashore. Zoe looked at me and said "No more!" Ok Zoe no more thrill rides. We will leave it to Dad who was the only one to try out the last thrill ride where the train rolls out of control through the winding mountains of Frontierland.

With it heating up, we stood in line to meet Woody and Jessie from Toy Story. This pleased Zoe, and she perked right up...with help from an icecream. With a quick dash Tom Sawyer style across the river we saw how things were built in the time of Huck Finn and "how thems were spelt". The morning was passing by quickly and we had a to see the Country Bear Show before leaving Frontierland for lunch. This was a show put on by animatronic bears. It was funny how even Disney portrays their 'country folk' as buck toothed, slow and simple folk with overbites

! We have not seen it yet as we haven't ventured to the Deep South as yet...but time will tell.

Lunch was eaten and we cooled right off in the airconditioning before walking to Adventureland. Here we climbed the Swiss Family Robinson Tree house. Zoe picked out her room, and I think I almost had her convinced this was where Roddie (Robinson) grew up! She was almost ready to believe it cause she could picture Rod with some of the stuff there.

Down we climbed and across the courtyard to Hawaii's TikiTiki Room. Here we sat and watched as more anamatronic birds, flowers and totem poles came to life and to speak and sing to us. There singing was so powerful that they made it rain! With this song embedded in our heads for the rest of the day (and I'm singing it as I type now!) we got in line for a magic carpet ride in the city of Agraabar where Aladdin and Jasmine met. With the girls sitting in the front and Greg and I in the back we flew around rocking up and down.

To the Jungle, Greg announced. He had been waiting for this ride all afternoon. Onto a boat like the African Queen, we sailed down the river to explore the wild life, escape the natives and gently cruise to the backside of a waterfall...that's right we saw O2H

Now that it was getting towards the late afternoon, the only thing left was to cross the courtyard at Adventureland one last time and head towards the Caribbean. Who should we see along the way? It was Captain Jack Sparrow! And, he was recruiting young new pirates and showing them how to fight... no fight isn't the right word. He was showing them how to baffle your opponent long enough to run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. Zoe still not a fan of pirates, clung to the back of my legs tight and poked her Mouse ears out only far enough to see what was going on and where the pirates where. Hayley on the other hand volunteered for active pirate duty. On the platform, in front of witness she and other willing child participants took the pirates oath, received their papers and were put on notice for sea! A few words of wisdom from Capt Jack and he was running off in the other direction having seen someone he was not to keen of being reacquainted with.

Last of all was the Pirates of the Caribbean adventure ride. Straight through the winding cobbled fortress to the depths below we walked before getting into our own "ships boat" and easing down the winding channel. Seeing the sights of rummaging pirates, partying, selling women and sampling the rum. We made it out alive. Zoe not liking pirates at all had had enough by now and wanted to go home. We all did. After being at the Magic Kingdom over two days we had clocked up almost 22hours of walking, standing in lines and rides in the Orlando spring heat.

Back to the monorail and into the car. A quick drive back to our motel and straight into the pool...this was exactly how the weekend should end.